Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i dune buggies and hotVWs

I am sure many readers may know about it or may already have it… But I need to spread the word to all our VW friends again. So, here is the question: Did you know that you can obtain an official Volkswagen Certificate for your VW? Yes, it’s the car’s birth certificate. We know Porsche does it as well, but how many automakers offer this type of service for mass-produced vehicles? Volkswagen still keeps information about your ride: Production date, original body color, interior color combination, when it left factory, the original destination city/country, the list of original equipment/options that came with your vehicle, and other original specifications. How cool is that! This information can be extremely helpful, especially if you are looking for a perfect, authentic restoration of your…

OWNER/ Björn van Boom ENGINE/ Type 1 VW case DISPLACEMENT/ 2332 cc BUILDER/ Mike Storek, Mainspeed CRANK/ 84 mm, CB Performance RODS/ Super Race, CB Performance CYLINDERS/ 94 mm, Mahle PISTONS/ Wiseco RINGS/ Total Seal CAM/ JPM Raptor OIL PUMP/ 30mm full-flow, CB Performance HEADS/ Revmaster Aviation REV049, ported and polished by Udo Becker VALVE SIZES/ 44x37mm, Manley COMPRESSION RATIO/ 10.3:1 ROCKER ARMS/ Pauter 1.48:1, CB Performance IGNITION/ MSD distributor, MSD Digital box CARBURATION/ two Weber 48 IDFs INTAKE MANIFOLDS/ Udo Becker EXHAUST SYSTEM/ CSP Wasp Stage 2 header and matching muffler FLYWHEEL/ lightened, CB Performance CLUTCH/ Kennedy Stage 2, Berg disc OTHER MODIFICATIONS/ painted engine case, painted carb bodies, bronze anodized stacks TRANSAXLE/ beefed-up AC gearbox BUILDER/ Sigi Thums RING & PINION/ 4.12:1 OTHER MODIFICATIONS/ Super Diff, welded gears,…

People’s Choice/ Allen Rader, Holland MI, 1965 Microbus Top 20/ Chris Allen, Lafayette IN, 1971 Beetle. Brenda Amaya, Spring Lake MI, 1978 Westfalia. Mike Dontje, Shelbyville MI, 1988 Cabriolet. Lisa Cheatham Ferguson, Kalamazoo MI, 1973 VW Thing. Todd Gerber, Battle Creek MI, 1973 Super Beetle. K.C. Hartman, Marne MI, 1961 Dune Buggy. Tyler Hayes, Montrose MI, 1970 Beetle. Dave Lane, Lowell IN, 1972 Baja Beetle. Susie Lucas, Allegan MI, 1965 Beetle. Jessica Matthes, Pullman MI, 2016 Golf. Phillip Pion, Ft. Wayne IN, 1977 Beetle Convertible. Allen Rader, Holland MI, 1965 Micro-bus. Jerry Robison, Lisle IL, 1974 VW Thing. Rick Staib, Battle Creek MI, 1956 Speedster Porsche. John Street, Berrien Springs MI, 1957 Beetle. Jeremy Sturgeon, Zeeland MI, 1979 Scirocco. Chuck Van Portfliet, Cedar Springs MI, 1998 Super Beetle. John Wasko,…

Located near Cedar Breaks National Monument and Bryce Canyon, Panguitch Lake sits at just over 8,000 feet elevation, providing a welcome despite from the high summer temperatures. The adjacent resort provides plenty of amenities for those interested, including horseback riding, boat rentals, kayaking, fishing, biking, ATV trails, a full restaurant, and even cabin rentals are available for those who aren’t into camping. COMING ABOUT Tony Brown of the Utah Transporter Association explains how the event came about. “After camping several times at Panguitch Lake Resort with Pete Wangsgard and Scott Wyatt, we became friends with Mike and Diana Ogden, the property’s managers. They loved the Buses and wanted to host an all VW campout. We felt that social distancing could still be maintained, while camping and while people were looking…

From time to time, you might see this little blue tin VW convertible in toy collections, toy shows or for sale via online auctions. They are usually referred to as a Volkswagen Hebmüller convertible, VW Type 14A. After some information and describing the details of this car, you will come to the conclusion that it is more of a Volkswagen Karmann convertible, Type 15A, instead. The original release of this top-down tin toy was produced by a toy company by the name of Johann Höfler (Fürth, Germany) in the mid-1950s. The vehicle was part of a five-car set. It included the blue VW convertible, a red Mercedes Gullwing, a red/yellow Jaguar coupe, a red Austin convertible and a blue/yellow Porsche 356. All of the vehicles have a very nice lithograph…

Of course, the pandemic issue will keep us busy for a while, but there will be a life after that. And we can expect a 2021 season that is at least slightly better than last year, especially for those of us who are looking forward to Hessisch Oldendorf. For anyone living under a rock who hasn’t heard of HO, which is the short for Hessisch Oldendorf: This is where the air-cooled community meets every four years for the greatest vintage VW show on the planet. Meanwhile the event not only attracts fans of original Volkswagens, but also friends of other VW styles – Old Speed for example. Old Speed race cars happen to be the theme of the Petermax Müller Race, which was established in 2011. It leads to Bad…

One of the great things about being a Volkswagen lover is that all of your friends know it too, and are constantly on the lookout for things that might interest you. We received one of these not too long ago from a friend. No doubt you’ve all seen the book published by Volkswagen of America back in 1967, “Think Small”. For those who haven’t, “Think Small” was a collection of thoughts and cartoons from well-known journalists poking fun at the Beetle. Volkswagen dealers gave out these books to compliment the humorous ad campaigns that VW Corporate was turning out at the time, ads that cleverly turned a phrase and endeared a nation onto the humble little “Beetle Bug”. Until now, we thought that this was the only such book out…

THIS ULTRA-UNIQUE 1955 DOUBLE-DOOR BUS IS 1 OF 19 OF SUCH Barndoors known in the world, according to Tonny Larsen of the Barndoor Registry in Denmark. Known as “Type 21E”, it was complemented by the 22E (Standard Microbus) and 23E (Kombi) models. In the 1950s, Volkswagen began exporting vehicles to New York with a grand vision for dealerships across America. When it came to the Transporter, the only path to ownership was to walk into a dealership and special order it. Very few were built and even more rare are those that were exported to the United States. After all, the country already had a few large American V8 luxury and commercial vans available at the time. Today, these VW vans are highly sought-after, although small production number and their…

From 1938 to 2003, 21,529,464 Beetles rolled out of the VW factory. The car’s shape, four-cylinder air-cooled boxer, and other basic features remained unchanged for almost seven decades. Yet, key details defined certain eras, such as the rear window shape, taillight designs etc. They all contribute to making specific models more valuable and/or rare… So, what features might affect your decision to pick the best Beetle model? Which year is your favorite? When it comes to market value, the earlier (i.e., the rarer) models will obviously command higher dollar values. But if you prefer a daily driver (or “almost daily driver”), a later model will likely meet your expectations, thanks to their drivability and parts availability. Some might argue early models offer more uniqueness; but later versions were deemed necessary…

You may have seen that connecting rods are available in several lengths and types. Why would someone use something other than stock dimensions? Here’s the long and short of it. The connecting rod’s length is measured from the center of the piston pin to the center of the crankshaft journal. It can be expressed in millimeters, or in some cases inches, depending on how you like to do your calculations. In any event, the engine’s rod ratio (rod to stroke ratio) is calculated by dividing the rod length by the stroke. Although opinions may vary a bit, most builders of street engines figure that a rod ratio of 1.75:1 is ideal. The VW can be considered a “long rod” ratio engine at 1.98:1, but the designers had more to think…

Daily Driver on the Shopping List Hello Jon, I have followed your magazine for a few years now. I recently started looking for a Bug to work on as a winter project – the COVID-19 Project. My question is simple: What should I look for when shopping for an old VW? I think it would make a great article, too. I have seen some outrageous prices and some VWs in really bad shape advertised for a lot of money. Are they really worth that much? I was also wondering what the price range should be for a Bug in “OK shape”, something that could become a daily driver. Any help from you professionals would be greatly appreciated. Jason Wood Yakima, WA Jason, I would say that in order to answer…

The off-road and VW communities, along with the automotive industry as a whole, lost one of its most popular family members with the recent passing of Jeff Quinn. A fierce, successful competitor on two and four wheels, Jeff made his mark in a racing career spanning nearly five decades. Additionally, he was respected for fabricating numerous very trick street VWs that made it into the pages of VW publications around the globe. In recent years, you all knew Jeff as the colorful, always ready to help owner of McKenzies Off Road in Anaheim, California. Under Jeff’s restructuring guidelines, the company became one of the most popular and prime sources for all things off road. While operating such a prominent company would be enough for most, Jeff never set his love…

US-131 is a legendary quarter-mile dragstrip located just 20 minutes from Kalamazoo and Grand Rapids in Western Michigan. Built in 1962 as Martin Dragway, the site underwent a $14 million renovation in 2002, and is now one of the top tracks in the nation, with modern restrooms and air-conditioned VIP hospitality suites. The Petersons are also vintage Volkswagen enthusiasts, so several years back, they decided to start hosting Bug Runs at their facility. They host two of them each year, the Summer in mid-July and the Fall in mid-September. Bugs, Buses and Buggies abounded at this summer’s Bug Run. With a large swap meet, a stunning car show, and competitive drag racing, there was something for everyone at this great event. Over in the racing lanes, participants came from the…

OWNER/ Bob Mazzotti, Agua Dulce, CA CHASSIS CAGE/ custom by Bob Mazzotti; 3/4”, 1” and 1-1/2” cold rolled steel tubing FRONT SUSPENSION/ 1965 beam; Sway-A-Way adjusters; VW chromed shocks REAR SUSPENSION/ VW swing axle; Sway-A-Way center adjuster, spring plates & 26mm torsion bars; Bilstein shocks STEERING/ Stiletto rack & pinion WHEELS/ Centerline 13x6 & 15x10 TIRES/ Pirelli P7 175/50-13 & BF Goodrich 295/50-15 BRAKES/ Wilwood discs (front & rear) ENGINE BUILDER/ Bob Mazzotti CASE/ Type 1 VW magnesium DISPLACEMENT/ 1776cc CRANK/ Gene Berg 69mm RODS/ Carrillo CYLINDERS & PISTONS/ Cima 90.5mm CAM/ Engle FK-89; Magnum straight-cut gears HEADS/ Small Car Specialties Street Eliminator VALVE SIZES/ Manley 44x37.5mm, stainless steel ROCKER ARMS/ Autocraft 1.4:1 COMPRESSION RATIO/ 12:1 IGNITION/ Bosch 009 distributor; Allison ignition module CARBURATION/ dual Weber 48IDAs; Facet fuel pump…

The HotVWs Drag Days was launched in the 1980s at Orange County International Raceway, California, a site also used for the world’s most influential VW event, created in 1968: Bug-In. Since losing OCIR in October 1983, these meets will remain embedded in the participants’ memories forever. However, in 2002, Rich Kimball of Periscope Enterprises – the promoter of Bug-In and Drag Day – was made aware of the opening of Irwindale Speedway, which would also include a 1/8-mile dragstrip. He therefore decided to revive OCIR’s “good memories” by restarting the hotVWs Drag Day. Held in 2002, it was a massive success with a great drag race, car show, and a huge swap meet. In parallel, California Speedway (a 2-mile oval track opened in 1997 and currently called Auto Club Speedway)…

This information is accurate as of December 7th, 2020. Please check the event organizers’ websites for the latest updates. January 14-17, 2021 Buses by the Bridge Location: Lake Havasu City Organizer: London Bridge Bullis Description: Volkswagen Bus campout and show in beautifull Lake Havasu City, AZ Buses by the Bridge was started by John “VW” Howard in 1991. After a 5-year hiatus, John and Ronnie (Bustoration) Feitelson were having a conversation over a few beers and decided to bring back Buses by the Bridge, this was in 1996. Here we go 23 years later and we’re planning number 24. John “VW” Howard and Tommy McDonnell have retired from Buses by the Bridge and Ronnie (Bustoration) Feitelson will be retiring from Buses by the Bridge after the 25th anniversary event. Buses…